Inuit Governance

Canadian Inuit are represented by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (which translates to 'Inuit are united in Canada') at the national level. Formerly known as Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC), Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) was established in 1971 to help bring the Inuit of Canada together in asserting their rights to sovereignty and governance over traditional Inuit lands.There are no ‘treaties’ signed with Inuit, although Inuit have signed 5 modern land claims with the Government of Canada as early as 1975 (James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement). Each Inuit region in Canada has organizations responsible for their land claim(s) implementation. This includes the Nunatsiavut Government (Nunatsiavut, Northern Labrador), Makivik Corporation (Nunavik, Northern Quebec), Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (Nunavut), and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (Inuvialuit Settlement Region, NWT).

ITK is based in Ottawa, and has been created to represent and advocate for all Canadian Inuit at the national, federal level. ITK has a board structure which has representatives from each of the four Inuit regions, as well as members from Inuit Circumpolar Council - Canada, and also Pauktuutit, Inuit Women of Canada and that National Inuit Youth Council.

Within ITK, Inuit Qaujisarvingat supports the organization mainly through improving research and knowledge sharing. Inuit Qaujisarvingat is guided by a National Committee which follows the same structure as the ITK Board.

Outside of the four Inuit regions, approximately 25% or 15,000 Inuit live in the south or urban centres. Inuit Tungasuvvingat offers services to Inuit living in the cities of St. John's, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton.

Inuit Circumpolar Council represents all the Inuit of the circumpolar Arctic - those in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia.

Land Claims Agreements between Inuit and Canada

Creation of Nunavik: The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975) & The Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement (2006)

Creation of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region: The Inuvialuit Final Agreement (1984)